FRANKLIN, Ind. – The Franklin women's basketball team tipped off the 2022-23 season in front of their home fans on Friday (Nov. 11) night, hosting the Wittenberg Tigers in the first game of the
Jessica Johnson Era.
Three Grizzlies (0-1) recorded double digit scoring efforts on the night, but the Tigers (2-0) turned in a strong second half to erase Franklin's halftime lead and win 74-65.
How it Happened
The opening frame was a tightly-contested battle that saw Franklin get two buckets in the final minute, including a quarter-ending buzzer-beater from
Taylor Cooney that made it 19-15 FC after 10 minutes. Wittenberg opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run but Franklin battled back to close out the first half with a 14-4 run to take a 33-29 lead into the break with
Camiell Perry knocking down a jumper at the horn.
Momentum shifted in the third quarter, with the Tigers out-scoring Franklin 20-11 and holding the hosts to just three field goals. The Grizzlies got within a pair at 55-53 with 7:23 to play, but it was as close as they got before the final horn sounded.
Inside the Box Score
-Franklin connected on 39.7% of their field goals on the night, going 23-for-58 from the floor and 5-for-18 from three.
-Freshman
Jordan Coon led the Grizzlies with 17 points in her career debut. Cooney also reached double figures in her Franklin debut with 11 points.
-
Maddie Barnes set career highs with 16 points and four three-pointers.
-Rebounding played a major role in the outcome, with Wittenberg holding a 46-29 edge on the glass and a 13-4 advantage in second chance points.
-Franklin showed their willingness to run, recording 16 fast-break points to just one for the Tigers.
Up Next
The Grizzlies are off until Saturday, Nov. 19, when they hit the road for a meeting with Principia. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. eastern time.
